Could have been the GREATEST HORROR EVER - but sadly, it is NOT

Rating: 9/10 (7 July 2003)

** This commentary is full of SPOILERS **
"28 Days Later" was unbelievably great movie for the first hour or so. The only weak hole I personally saw, was the lack of explanation to why "Jim & Selena", instead of having only baseball bats and half-machetes, could not simply walk into the first police station and arm themselves to their "teeth"? Having said that, the scary premise, the tactics, the acting, the plot, the end-of-the-world feeling was pretty frightening and thrilling in that first 3 1/4 of the movie. BUT, then the filmmakers yielded away from those great "winning" ways which were evident in the first hour or so, just to engage us with this dumb sub-plot of "Jim the hero" trying to rescue the two women he barely knows, from their uncomfortable, but surely logical "breeding machines" - destiny.
Now, why in the hell would "Jim" ever do that? I mean, how logical is that in the face of sheer terror, man-versus-man type of mentality, and against the overwhelming odds - "Jim" is turning against the soldiers who happened to be the only source of protection these three have, just to engage in "Ramboisation" and save the women from their own protectors - even more especially when is known to us that "Selena" would have no sentiments of killing "Jim" if the need arised.
And also, why did soldiers have that "infected" alive in their garden to begin with? One would think that they would do anything to destroy the infected a.s.a.p., and not risk their own well being by having an "infected" full of powerful rage chained in their midst? (by the way, how did they succeeded in chaining the "infected"??) And finally, THE ENDING. For chris' sake, that was lame. Why do they always have to have stupid, "happy" ending is unbeknown to me? It's a FICTION movie for god's sake, so make it end in the most powerful way you can. I mean you're making a horror drama full of doomed feeling, and than you end it with "happy, happy". It's like p***ing all over your work thus far. I mean, at least make a compromise if you have to - maybe by hinting that everyone in England will die, but then show a commercial plane flying sky high overhead. That type of ending could have been the most powerful, gloomy, but ultimately optimistic as it would signal that the life goes on in the rest of the world.
If this move had an ending that was similar to disturbing beginning, it could have been the most profound horror movie of all times. This way, and due only to "Ramboisation" of the main character, as well as to "Hollywood ending" in non- Hollywood movie, it still remains superb - but not THE ULTIMATE - it could have been!
So close.
Pity the fools.